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DROID X Update To .621 Breaks Ability To SBF Back To Earlier Firmware

If you are a DROID X owner and enjoy rooting and flashing ROMs, then you should be immediately made aware of this new development by Motorola. If you have updated to the newest .621 firmware, flashing older versions of firmware via SBF could result in a perma-bricked device. Many folks who have tried the process since the update have been reporting on multiple forums and online sites that after flashing an SBF, the phone becomes a paperweight.

Until we learn more about what is going on, we recommend not trying to SBF your DROID X if it is on firmware version .621. Has anyone here ran into that problem or have you been able to successfully SBF after taking the update? Let us know down below.

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Well now that google owns motorola and im on a development team I will start talking to people. See if we cant get motorola to make build .62x to have an unlocked bootloader. To all of the people complaining about it. It is not a plot to brick your phones it was a deal made with verizon so you guys can all keep your verizon software on there because their company gets paid for phones that have their software on it not Cyanogenmod, AOSP, or MIUI.

I had the .621 update and I was able to SBF backward just fine, this must be an issue only for some.

Toph4er

Rooting after SBF is the issue as I understand it

SovereignVS

U got to be kidding!

I updated my firmware literally a minute before I finally decided to root my phone!

Asdf

same here. Just got my first android phone today (girlfriend’s old X) (I’m switching from iPhone). Being a computer science student, I got excited to root it and play around with ROMs then DAMN….unknowingly updated OTA. idk if Moto did this on purpose but Apple attempts to stop jailbreakers and unlockers with every OS update. Each time an iOS update is released, it just takes the hacking community a while to catch up and release the new hacks. Hopefully the same is true with this Moto update.

Asdf

ps. it is this kind off crap that pushed me away from Apple. I was drawn to Android because of its preceived “open source-feel” I feel that if I buy hardware, I should be able to do what I want with it and not have companies continuously attempting to lock down “my” hardware’s functionality. In the transition from an AT&T iPhone, I was also discouraged when I saw the the Verizon Droid X was not even usable unless it is activated with Verizon. All it lets you do otherwise is look at the activate button. Talk about locking down your hardware…. I call BS

TFD2001

So, can someone advise me? I don’t use alternate roms, I’m just rooted, that’s it, will this update be bad for me as well?

Toph4er

You need to deactivate the update.apk via Titanium Backup…do a google search for instructions

mb

Dear nerds:
What is ‘SBF?’
Signed,
A regular person

Asdf

I’m new to android but from what I gather, it is referring to a type of file you download onto your computer where you can run a program to install (flash your ROM) a fresh image of your phone’s operating system (this image is the SBF). The process is the same idea as erasing your entire hard drive on your PC then installing a new copy of Windows from scratch. It makes it just like as if it were brand new (in terms of software and settings). In addition to original (stock/OEM) SBF files, there are also custom SBF files out there that give you a customized operating system. These SBF files are sometimes referred to as ROMs. The custom alternative operating systems are also sometimes generically referred to as ROMs.

CapnShiner

Luckily, my DX is stable enough without this new update. It’s slow as hell with all the apps I have installed and I can’t wait to use my last NE2 to get something new in about 6 months but I have no reason to get the .621 update. The updater will stay frozen in Titanium until a fix is released to bring back SBF capability or I get a new phone.

Singlebubba

took the ota dl from the phone an within 5 min it bricked it self , verizon said i must have done something wrong . i told em ya i know pressing a button that says click here to start upgrade…was my first mistake . i know how tricky pressing a button can be lol !! idoits they really are . wost part was is wasnt even a rooted phone .

Meanstreak01

My phone became unstable so I had no choice but to attempt an SBF. Of course that bricked my phone. I brought it in to Verizon and the instore tech couldn’t do anything with it. I have a feeling there is a way to restore via SBF with the proper file from Motorola. I asked the tech if customer service through the 800 might be able to do something and he indicated it was worth a try. He would have done something for me if I was under warranty but I wasn’t. I had a month to go before an upgrade and he did indicate that I could go through the damage insurance and pay a deductable.
I called the 800 number and after seaking to tier two support, they offered to replace my phone with a recertified X2 since their were no Xs left. They also shipped out back cover because the one from the X is lighter in color. I got my phone the next day but to my surprise I got a brand new X2 with all of the accessories. I didn’t know they still had brand new ones or why I got one but I won’t complain. I was tempted not to use it and sell it since I plan to upgrade in a month possibly. I have a Droid 2 I coluld have used but I hate coming from the X.

jrak02

Going to be the lone supporter here but I’m a fan of the update, including the inability to SBF. Even after several ROMs and SBFing the phone to stock GB, my Droid X suffered from chronic crashing issues to the point where I didn’t even bother to my case on it because I would have to perform multiple battery pulls every couple of days just to get it working. This latest update fixed those issues and I now have a reliable phone again that I can take on business trips without heart attacks. I know the android sell is all about modability and ultimate user control of the hardware, but there is definitely something to be said for product reliability at the expense of some user control. Sometimes we need to be protected from ourselves.

Loadie

has anyone actually tried the update?

BTGGTR1

Ridiculous….the DX will be two years old this summer…for God’s sake just unlock the damn thing and let us do what we want with it!!

spursrchamps2007

At this point I almost don’t know what manufacturer to go with anymore. Moto just keeps either doing things intentionally that push customers away, or they dont know what they are doing so it pushes people away. I know a lot of people are on the Samsung bandwagon right now, but they are horrid with updates. Then I have HTC, which I have right now, and again update problems. How is it your, at the time, flagship 4g phone is still on Ginger.

Ufish2

I’ve got a X..solid phone but moto will never change….so hate to leave there great quality but my next will be a rezound…good bye Motorolla 3/16/12..RIP…:(

http://ThisWeeksBeats.com Deez

hehee yup.. peace out moto.. hello Sammy!

http://twitter.com/jonhartman84 jonhartman84

Still want, don’t care.

Azndan4

Where is angel face when you need him? Motorola sucks.

Guest

they banned him a while ago. THANK GOD!!! he was a major douche bag!

leimeisei

Don’t understand how people are blaming Motorola for this. SBF is not officially supported by any device manufacturer in any way, shape, or form. And you’re not even supposed to SBF Backwards!! Sure, it may have worked in the past, but now it doesn’t work so just don’t do it! It’s not Motorola’s fault that some of you are idiots.

me

Yeah I didn’t think you were supposed to sbf backwards either.plus if you took the update why are you trying to go backwards anyway.?

BobAbooey

Becuase it’s not rooted and people didn’t use voodoo to keep root. We’ve been able to go back on every update, we can even flash back to froyo and run a rom if we want. The sbf was our safegaurd, for people who took the ota, they are screwed.

Jb

do some research before you start calling people idiots

NunYa

Maybe they installed a new unlockable bootoader on it and will provide an unlock tool shortly?? Think positive!

Always loved every Moto phone I have had back to the original Razr. I was going to give Moto till my renewal next month to get ICS on the RAZRs, but with this I may just get the GNEX anyway.

me

Um..your never supposed to sbf backwards,its not moto’s fault people dont know what there doing.

richardsonadm

the last 2 updates Moto has sent you were able to SBF back all the way to Froyo. Why? So we can reinstall the custom roms that we were on.

AlexKCMO

You were able to SBF backwards with the other GB updates.

me

Ah ok back when I d2 the devs always said dont sbf backwards because kernel and radio was different.things must xhanged since then

balthuszar

just because you can, doesnt mean you’re supposed to

AlexKCMO

Thank goodness the tech industry doesn’t have this attitude.

balthuszar

ok…let me ask you this…you can pull a gun and shoot someone in the head…are you supposed to?

also, i never said don’t…i just said you’re not supposed to

AlexKCMO

Are you supposed to…
root your phone?
not use turn signals?
roll through stop signs?
not floss?
get on Droid-Life at work?

“Supposed to” is meaningless.

balthuszar

i agree with you…thank you for helping me make my point

http://ThisWeeksBeats.com Deez

Supposed to or not, this is something customers want. Take it away, and you lose customers? Economics is tough, I understand.

balthuszar

i also agree with you, you give the customers what they want or they go somewhere else that they can get what they want…the entire point of the original poster is whether or not you’re supposed to, not whether or not you can…that was my point…having said that, if you don’t want to lose the capability in question, don’t take the update…also, if the razr doesnt get ics by the time my next upgrade happens, they lost a loyal customer

http://quiklives.tumblr.com quiklives

I really did love my Droid X when I got it, and for a long time. It’s sitting over on the side of my desk now, and it’s still amazing in terms of build quality, etc. But holy crap, stuff like this makes me glad I have a Nexus now.

I am going to give the X to my mom to use with Verizon prepaid, and teach her to use Swype. She currently has a flip phone, and she tries to text on her little T9 keyboard, it’s so depressing. She’s unusually tech savvy for a mom, so I think she’ll be fine with a smartphone, but I’ll factory reset it, and she won’t care about rooting etc.

Ron Perlman’s Jaw

Someone in the private Soak forum asked Matt if there was code that prevented the user from reverting back to prior software. The answer was “no.”

http://www.facebook.com/LuisElTiburon Luis Rojas

Good thing I read this! Lol

Xyzromain

As far as I can tell no one using a Linux or mac computer have had any problems. On the other hand why would a veteran x owner take an ota and lose root? You would have to be a moron to do that.

WAldenIV

OTA RootKeeper or the Droid 4 root method will maintain/regain root. It doesn’t take a moron to know that.

Newbie question. I do not mess w ROM’s. Bricked too many phones and gave up. But I do have my X rooted. Does this update issue have to do w rooting or just messing w ROM’s or both?

thanks

ddevito

Motorola is like a great looking woman on the outside, but quite the nasty bitch on the inside.

Higher_Ground

I was on rooted .605 and when I tried to take the OTA update it booted into clockwork recovery and when I rebooted again it said “update failed” and my phone started acting crazy with FC’s on the browser and launcher left and right. After a wiping the cache and dealing with FCs for the past day and a half it’s starting to run like normal again. I should have known better than to take the OTA but it kept popping up trying to get me to update… so far it hasn’t prompted me to try again.

BobAbooey

Freeze the updater with titanium.

CapnShiner

I did that as soon as I read the headline of this post. Well, I checked for OTA updates first out of curiosity but clicked the “later” button and then went into Titanium. It will remain frozen until someone releases a fix.

moelsen8

whoa. they’re really on a roll here. what a piece of sh!t they are.

angermeans

Good god Motorola just leave the Droid X alone. Why do even care? A little warning would go a long way. Just keep alienating your customers this is why you are being purchased by Google.

thommiller

isn’t it at least possible that this WASN’T done on purpose?

BobAbooey

It’s not crazy to think so.

moelsen8

except that i’m sure they’re well aware of everything going on in the developer community. they could have let this information leak to someone, somewhere beforehand if this was something they couldn’t avoid, as kind of a courtesy heads-up. they don’t care at all.

John Poe

Given the incompetence we’ve seen from them lately, I think that’s not only possible, but highly likely.

This really sucks. If anyone gets the update, do not take it and head over to rootzwiki. We have to get this figured out. This just sealed my decision on why I am getting a gnex in Aug when I get my upgrade.

http://www.facebook.com/mike.lucki Mike Lucki

A GNex in August. Half a year from now when there will be several new and probably better phones, and you seriously think you’ll still want the GNex?

Loki

by october all the cool quads that save battery power will be out

http://fujibayashi.jp/ Gasai Yuno

Probably because you aren’t really supposed to use RSDLite. I don’t think Motorola cares about people who use leaked SBF images on their phones. And they really shouldn’t, it’s not their problem, or at least I would think so.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the DROID X now uses fastboot or something of the sorts.

CapnShiner

You’re right about it not really being their problem but it still sucks. I’m hoping there is still enough interest in the Droid X within the dev community for someone to fix this.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=10215724 Raj Bhatt

Wow. What a terrible thing to do. Moto had already lost my business with the Bionic but this seals the deal.

RedPandaAlex

God. Damnit. Motorola.

Twofourturbo

Yup, another reason why I sold my Droid X and plan on never turning back to Motorola..

http://www.facebook.com/jeffhamstra Jeff Hamstra

ASUS unlocks its bootloader and Motorola bricks peoples phones.

Loki

How else are they going to get people to buy the new droid razr something something something in different colors. Wouldn’t be surprised if they started updating old phones to brick them just to make people go out and buy their new devices, and then they offer a minimal discount to buy another motorola phone.

Bricked my Atrix the same way, told Motorola it was because their gingerbread update was giving me trouble and they replaced it(all hail the mighty warranty.) Also, this is a dumb idea on their part…

EC8CH

That suX

Moto will stop at nothing to get you to buy a new RAZR.

Edwin M

That is until they come out with another phone in the next couple of months and then they want your money for that phone.

Bunie

You mean next couple days.

mikejs78

Actually it’s because of things like this that I *won’t* be trading my DX for a Razr once my contract is up. Nexus, here I come!

Greg Morgan

Another great job Moto! #FAIL

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